Bills Hire Lyons to lead analytics

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) - The Buffalo Bills have hired Michael Lyons to take over their newly created position of director of analytics.

Lyons will assist the team in various areas including game strategy, scouting and business development. He has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from MIT, and spent the past 26 years working as a data analytics expert for Xerox.

Bills president Russ Brandon mentioned a need for the team to branch into analytics during his first news conference in January, when he was promoted to his new position.

Buffalo (3-5), which hosts Kansas City (8-0) on Sunday, also signed defensive tackle Stefan Charles off the Tennessee Titans' practice squad. The Canadian-born Charles was an undrafted rookie free agent who played at Saskatchewan's University of Regina.